the journeys of legolas and gimli
by legolas-olorin
Summary: this is after rotk. legolas and gimli are keeping their promises to see glittering caves, fangorn forest. lots of adventure . legolaselfmaid, no slash. please read and review and no flames! this is my first fanfic! njoy
1. noise in the night

"Hoi,"! Gimli the dwarf said. "That's my horse you're messin with, laddie"!  
  
His companion, Legolas, smiled mischievously and pretended to cut Thrandins' (Gimli's Pony) mane with his knife. Gimli pretended not to care or notice, but Legolas smiled again when he caught Gimli anxiously looking over the fire at him to make sure he was not damaging his "horses" beautiful coat. The pony had been a gift from King Théoden, and only Gimli could handle it. Legolas still had Arod, the large white horse from Rohan.  
  
"Humph! Not a nice sort of thang to be a 'doing to me horse, me pointy eared elf prince ling, ha!" he said.  
  
Legolas's elf eyes would have burned holes into mithril, but instead he smiled and laughed, and Gimli was glad, for he had grown to love the sound of his laugh. After they doused the fire, they set off for Fangorn Forest, the first place they were going to on their adventure.  
  
As they were walking across the plains of Rohan, Gimli sighed wistfully and said, "Well, when it comes to numbering the women who ye've wooed ye got me beat, laddie. Clack! Wait! I didn't mean it!" he said as he looked down a arrow that was strung and pulled back all the way on Legolas's 170 pound Lothlorien longbow. Yet again the elf just grinned, his eyes twinkled and he unstrung his bow.  
  
After about an hour of silence, Legolas adopted a thoughtful look and waited for Gimli to comment. It was not long in coming. "Alright, Legolas Greenleaf, What are ye thinkin?" he said.  
  
Legolas sat tall in his horse triumphantly before speaking. "Well," he said. "Since I spent my time teaching you (and of all things you are a dwarf) how to ride, you'll have to teach me something, my friend"  
  
"Like what, my noble, princely, wise, companion?" Gimli said sarcastically.  
  
"I know!" Legolas said a minute later suddenly as if thinking of it for the first time. "You can teach me all the secrets of dwarfen weapon craftsmanship."  
  
Gimli looked at him stunned. "Well, that's that's just not possible not possible, no way laddie! An ELF, knowing the secrets of my people the dwarfs?" He huffily turned and pretended to be interested with a group of trees on their right.  
  
Legolas, however, would not let the matter drop. "I taught you all the secrets of elvish riding, the elven language, (not to mention giving you my bow and teaching you to use it) and you went from trying your hardest not to fall off, to how I have taught you to ride bareback, without bridle. And you say I cannot know the secrets of the dwarfs?" He adopted a betrayed look on his face, and looked at Gimli.  
  
"Well, I guess you can learn on the way there," Gimli said. Somehow, he couldn't say no.  
  
As darkness fell, the sky became dark blue shaded with purple. Legolas seemed to breathe in the atmosphere and gain new energy from it. Arod still trotted along dutifully, whilst Gimli and Thrandin started to lag behind. Looking at Gimli, Legolas winked and nodded toward a copse of trees a mile away. "We should stop there for the night. Good shelter, cant been seen by those humans following us, and should be warm."  
  
Gimli looked relieved and grateful as he said; "right, that will bout do it".  
  
When they reached the copse, Legolas seemed to tense and look around attentively at the surrounding trees. "Something is not right here, Gimli. The trees are uneasy." As they lay down to sleep, Legolas and Gimli went to sleep with one eye open.  
  
Legolas woke in the middle of the night to screaming, the sound of battle, and then laughing. "What can that be, Gimli? That sounds like the voices of elves. What could be happening?" Legolas's fair face was now troubled and looked very concerned. "And orcs! Many of them it would seem! Come, we must help them for if the orcs are making sport, then that is, that is....."  
  
"...disheartening or disgusting, and I suppose an even share of both," Gimli said as he grabbed his bow and axes. Legolas had given Gimli his old bow and taught him how to use after Galadriel gave him the enchanted Lothlorien longbow.  
  
"Right, said Legolas. Let's go!" he said, grabbing his daggers, sword, and bow. Running swiftly and silently, they raced towards the noise. 


	2. strange orcs

When they reached the area they thought the noise was coming from, They saw in a clearing a scene that shocked them beyond belief. Four scores of orcs appeared to be doing something near a rough wooden wall, whilst three scores sat near four large hill trolls. The most shocking thing was what the four score of orcs were doing. A score of elves and she-elves were chained to the wall by iron shackles fastened to the wall by short chains. An orc, no doubt the leader, picked up a sword and looked at the captives. He smiled cruelly and stuck the first one in the arm. The elves immortal blood started seeping out. In a few minutes, he had stabbed him to death.  
  
"What's the plan, laddie?" Gimli said. After some thought, Legolas whispered his plan to Gimli and then slid behind a tree. As he watched his friend disappear into the woodlands, Gimli drew his arrows out and laid them on the ground. "53 arrows, not enough, but it'll do in a pinch," he said to himself silently.  
  
Legolas used every bit of his elven power to sneak up to the orc camp, only to find that they were Uruk-Hai. He was burning with desire to kill the orc- Captain. "The murderer," he thought. "No honor, no sense, no skill most likely, and soon he'll have no life". He was preparing his trap when the orc-captain started talking.  
  
"I, Ugarku, will this day kill you all. You have trespassed on my land, and killed my servants. This day you will all die!" He was now roaring, yelling, and working himself up, (quite like an orc) when the rustling occurred. "Ho now, boys, did yer hear that? Bet it's that she-elf we're a lookin fer. Spread out and find her!" He yelled.  
  
Suddenly Legolas heard a noise some distance behind him. Pretending not to notice, he used his daggers as mirrors to watch his back. "Stupid orc," he thought as he saw what it was. "It's smaller than the rest, so this should be easy". The moment the orcs hand grabbed his shoulder, he grabbed its arm, twisted it, stuffed his mouth with leaves so he could not make noise, and placed a dagger on the orcs throat. "Ambushing orc party, I should think." He said to the surprised yet sneering orc. As the vengeful elf's face locked eyes with the terrified orc, it froze, soundless. "Fine day to die, orc." He said as he delivered a graceful slash across the orcs throat with his dagger. Much too quickly for the vengeful Legolas, the orc was dead.  
  
Examining the orc, he was puzzled to find the orc was garbed with thin wood- like armor, a small bow and a dagger. Usually Uruks are armed with heavy plate-like iron armor and a crossbow or Uruk-sword (they resemble a 4 foot long machete). Being a wood-elf, he decided to climb a tree so he could see. It turned out to be a good foresight on the elf's part, for as soon as he reached the topmost boughs, a score and a half orcs hacked through the brush with long lances and immediately started arguing, yelling and waving weapons around in surprise and confusion. "Ho, Ugnak. Look what happened to Slagnon. That elf maid musta killed him." Legolas smiled grimly as he strung his bow and drew one of his 100 arrows. His trap was laid. The battle was about to begin.  
  
As soon as the first orc was visible, it was hit in the neck by an arrow from nowhere it seemed. The orcs shrieked and ran to the dead orc. Four arrows cut down the orcs from different directions. Chaos occurred as the orcs sought cover, only to be found by more arrows zipping from the foliage.  
  
As the orcs started running away in confusion, Legolas shot an arrow to Gimli, who was hiding near by in the brush. As Gimli read the message, he smiled. "To Gimli: 11 orcs on my part, and many more to go. What about you?"  
  
Gimli took the message of the arrow, scribbled one in elvish, and sent the arrow flying back into the tree. Seeing the arrow lodged in the branch below him, Legolas yanked it out and smiled as he read it. "I myself am looking sadly at 8, so ye've got me beat for now." As Gimli heard the orcs and trolls crashing through the woods in his direction, he stealthily climbed a large tree.  
  
"Where are you, yer she-elf scum?" yelled Ugarku, as he waved his weapon around. The hill-trolls started grunting and sniffing as they grabbed the dead Uruks and threw them off towards the orc-camp. Gimli tensed as he shook the branch of a tree while moving from his tree to Legolas's former perch. "What was that, chief?" an orc asked Ugarku.  
  
The large orc sniffed and looked puzzled. "Dwarf-smell, but why is a dwarf with elves?" "Maybe he's their captive and he got away," offered one orc.  
  
"Well, whatever he's doing, he better come out if he knows what's good fer him!" said Ugarku.  
  
Suddenly a voice sounded from behind him. "Well, here's one dwarf who knows what's best for him, and I'm not coming out. In fact, laddie, ye would be dead if my friend hadn't asked me not ta kill ye."  
  
The huge orc swung around and laughed triumphantly (and quite hoarsely). "So that's where ye are, eh? Kill him, boys." The orcs marched off jauntily, thinking to themselves that dwarfs don't shoot bows. This turned out to be a large mistake on their part. 


	3. old friends, new meetings

Legolas swung through the trees, often using his elven rope to swing from branches or pull himself up a tall tree. When he reached the orc-camp, he saw a small group of orcs sitting around a fire and laughing, arguing, and eating as well as drinking in great quantities. He came around silently and picked up a light javelin, throwing it at an orc in the same movement. The orcs jumped as he imitated the harsh voice of Ugarku. "Sitting round the fire, eh? Well, who said you could do that?" another javelin killed an orc as the rest of them cowered fearfully. Yet another javelin hit an orc. The remaining four orcs tried to find where their leader was, but could not see him even though it was mid-day. They took off through the trees, screaming.  
  
As the elf ran into the camp, he searched the dead orcs for keys. Luckily, one had the keys looped in its belt. Gently he tapped the first sleeping elf. "They seem to be so exhausted they are sleeping standing up and in shackles," he thought. As one of the elves raised his head, expecting to see an orc, he was surprised to see the fair face of Legolas. "Laduer, my friend?? Is it really you? What are you doing here?" before Laduer could answer, Legolas heard several orcs running towards the camp.  
  
"Ho harr, lads. We've got the she elf!" They said as Legolas dropped into hiding.  
  
Gimli shot an arrow at an orc as it passed by his hiding place. Almost casually he placed another arrow on the string and drew it back. The charging orcs were soon stumbling over 10 bodies of their comrades. They were now starting to be careful, picking their way through the trees, ducking behind brush, but still being picked of by Gimli, who was high in a tree. An orc noticed him, and started climbing the tree. He was immediately shot, and the other orcs started to climb the tree as Gimli in turn shot them. ____________________________________________________________ The orcs broke through the brush into the orc camp and threw the bound elf to the ground. She was still, and had a number of cuts on her face.  
  
"Phew, that was a struggle. She can really fight. But look at 'er now. Ha, idn't putting much of a fight up now. She shouldn't have wasted her energy. Ugarku will be happy," they said to each other, panting. "Hey, where are the guards? They weren't supposed to leave. Those elves might have gotten away." They said, running around to where the chaining wall was. As the first orc appeared, Legolas shot it with an arrow. Soon 8 orcs were lying on the ground, struck by arrows. The remaining 2 ran back and grabbed the elf-maid. Dragging her over so Legolas could see her, they placed their swords on her throat, and called out threateningly, "don't move if you don't want her dead. Throw your bow down." Legolas placed his bow on the ground. Then straightening up, it appeared to the orcs he that he drew something from his back. Two elven daggers whizzed at them at the same time. They toppled over, shock etched all over their faces.  
  
So it was that Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Mirkwood, first beheld Ariana (ARE EE ONNA), warrior elf-maid of Rivendell. Running over to her, he picked her up in his strong arms, studying her beautiful face for signs of life. Her face was fair, and although she was petite, as she opened her eyes he noticed they were a deep, dangerous looking blue with a touch of Eldar battle light. He did not want to allow time to get attached. Feeling life coursing through her veins, the indifferent Legolas carried the now unconscious elf as he hurried back to the chaining wall. ___________________________________________________________  
  
Gimli finally decided he had held his position in the tree long enough. Letting off a last arrow, he moved to another tree. As the orcs climbing his former position reached the top, they looked around confusedly when they could not see him. Gimli held his breath as the orcs looked at the other trees in wonder.  
  
"Ho, lads, that dwarf just disappeared. Where do ye suppose he went to?" said one.  
  
"I dunno, Slagback. I guess he musta fell out of the tree." said another while precariously hanging onto a small branch.  
  
"That's ridiculous," said the one called Slagback. "But we might as well look down there. As they were climbing down, a last arrow hit one of the orcs in the back. The rest jumped with surprise, many falling out of the enormous tree.  
  
"Better get out of here," Gimli thought as he used his rope as a pulley to slide down to the ground. He silently ran off to where the orcs camp was. As he was hurrying along, he ran right into a few orcs.  
  
"harr, lookee what we've got here. Ugarku will probably pardon us if we bring him back to the camp," said the biggest one. Pulling out his sword, he charged Gimli. Luckily, he had his axe out and sidestepped the orc, swinging his axe at the orcs head. Swiping the other two quickly, he ran past their bodies and into the orc camp. _____________________________________________________________  
  
Legolas ran up to the elves and silently unlocked their shackles. Laduer had already wakened them all, and they were waiting patiently if not a little agitatedly. Then Legolas realized they came from his home. When all of them were unchained, Legolas made a request "Which one of you is the best healer, and then, why are you so far away from Mirkwood?"  
  
"I am, milord," said one. "My name is Randuerin. How can I be of assistance?"  
  
Legolas glanced in surprise at the wise, slightly venerable looking elf he had not noticed before. "Randuerin the wise, counselor of Thranduril my father! Why are you here? Oh, I am sorry. I have a request first. Tend to this maid, for she has been dragged and beaten by the orcs." Legolas said, with pity in his eyes. "And Laduer can tell me why you are here. Oh, and the rest of you should look for your weapons," he added with a smile. Happily he noted no one complained about his orders.  
  
"We were sent by your father to look for you," Laduer said to Legolas. "And I must say after the disturbing reports we have had, I am glad to see you, and to have you rescue us. I had not in the immortal lifetime of our race expected to be rescued from the orcs, much less my best friend. Thranduril received word from a stranger that they thought they saw his son dead on the Fields of Pellenor. That is why we were sent to find you. The elf- maid is not one of our party. I am not sure why she is here. But I do know most of the elves of Rivendell have left for the grey havens. So we will be returning with you to Mirkwood as soon as we are able to get ready."  
  
Legolas smiled as he said; "my friend Laduer, I wish it were so. But two reasons prohibit that. One, we must not forget the orcs which my good friend Gimli is keeping away from here. And I have made a commitment to my friend to go on adventures with him."  
  
"I'm sorry," said Laduer, "forgive my imprudence. I had forgotten to think about the orcs. We will help fight them. Legolas Greenleaf, I will protect you with my life. I am honored to fight along side of my rescuer, and we will not intrude on your adventures." As the elves that were sent to search for weapons walked up, Lauder's face lit up "I see you have found our weapons, my friends," he said. Among the elvish two-handed sabers, there were also recurve longbows with quivers full of arrows. As each elf found his weapons, Legolas slid off silently towards a source of noise south of the camp.  
  
Ariana's first reaction was to grab the nearest body as she came awake "wait, my maid." protested a kindly elf voice. "I am most certainly NOT an orc, so you might want to let go of me so I can minister to your bruises and cuts." She fell back, slightly embarrassed. The maid realized then that she was not seeing clearly. As she tried to focus, her eyes became clearer. She was in the orc camp, lying on a makeshift bed of pine needles. A kind, elderly elf-face was looking at her worriedly.  
  
"She will be fine, milord. She hasn't lost to much blood, nor is she seriously wounded. Milord? Where has he gone, Laduer?" Randuerin asked.  
  
"He headed off into the trees." The elf responded. "I think he heard something. We will follow him, so we may be of help." As the elves moved south, they left 4 elves to guard Randuerin and Ariana. _______________________________________________________ 


	4. whats his name?

Legolas moved through the trees quickly, forgetting any ideas of stealth and secrecy. He frowned, hoping the noise he had heard was not Gimli in trouble. "That dwarf is insane," he thought with a smile. "You have to pull him away from a battle even when you're losing." He suddenly stopped, and slid behind a tree. Recognizing his friend, he jumped out and said joyfully, "Gimli! My, you look tired. How did it fair with you?"  
  
"Well, no worse than you I see, laddie. But I've got some o' the scum on me heels, I must say. By the way, have you seen those trolls?" he said.  
  
Legolas frowned. "No, I thought you had those brutes occupied.  
  
"O no," was all that Gimli got to say before they heard the orcs rushing towards them.  
  
"They have brought the trolls, and just where we don't want them." Legolas sighed looking around at the open field. O well, he thought.  
  
"I should go back and get the elves," said Legolas. "Do you think you can hold them off for a couple moments?" Gimli only nodded.  
  
As Legolas turned around, Laduer smiled at him. "Well, your friend will not have to hold them off, whoever he is."  
  
"Thank you for your insight, it has saved time. But I should prepare you. My friend is a dwarf, although he is an agreeable dwarf. I have become friends with him, and I believe you will find him very likeable also," said Legolas, as Lauder tried not to look surprised.  
  
"I will take your word for it, my friend," he smiled.  
  
"Too many elves for my liking," was the first thing Gimli said. "But if yer anything like Legolas, you'll be alright laddie." Laduer only smiled.  
  
"Well, if 'yer' what Legolas has said you are, then you'll be alright." Laduer said.  
  
"Well then! Every one form up! Shields up! Swords sheathed! Bows strung arrows ready!" Legolas was now in his element, and he could command the Mirkwood elves very capably. -------------  
  
When Ariana had sufficiently recovered to mostly normal consciousness, she asked if she could sit up.  
  
"Well, I am certainly not going to stop you, but I don't think his majesty would like you to run over and help them out." Randuerin said with a smile.  
  
"Who was he?" she asked.  
  
"Who do you mean by that?" he said as his eyes twinkled. Hmm, Legolas will have another one on him. Wish I was like that in my earlier years, he thought.  
  
"Stop teasing," she said. "You know who I meant. And who is his wife, or lover?"  
  
Randuerin couldn't stop laughing for a few minutes but eventually controlled himself. "O my, o my. No he isn't taken, if that's what you mean. But I think he will be soon."  
  
"HIS NAME! HE RESCUED ME! I want his name." Ariana shouted, then fell back and started coughing.  
  
"Oh forgive me, his name, *stall with a smile looking at Ariana to see why she coughed (no longer smiling)* Legolas."  
  
"Legolas. I have heard about him. Very good fighter" She added a smile with some difficulty to this.  
  
"You must excuse me, but are you some how related to Lady Arwen? You are the image of her, but you have golden hair."  
  
"Well, I guess you could say that. I am related to her, somewhat."  
  
"That must be the reason for your startling beauty, then." he said. "And now I will have to clean this wound. It seems to be made from a dagger."  
  
Ariana gasped and shot up as he cleaned the wound.  
  
'There is a lot of dirt in this wound. How did it happen?" he asked.  
  
"An orc simply stabbed my shoulder. I think he was mad at me. I kicked before that " she added.  
  
"You won't want to kick Legolas by the way . I've seen him pin his father fair and square with little exertion; not to mention the ease that charms more girls than you can possibly imagine. But I have given you my name, I was wondering yours..." finished Randuerin.  
  
"Ariana." Was all she was able to tell Randuerin.  
  
Suddenly something did a spectacular front flip off a branch and landed right behind Randuerin.  
  
"Hello" Legolas said. He asked Randuerin, "How is she?"  
  
"Legolas!" reprimanded Randuerin "You've outgrown that sort of thing by now!"  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but how is she?" He could not help chuckling at Randuerin's anger.  
  
Randuerin turned to Ariana "you came all the way to check on her?." "She is fine, Legolas."  
  
Walking up to the smiling elf maiden he bowed and put a blank mask on his face.  
  
"I trust Randuerin has taken good care ...." Ariana cut him short  
  
"Yes, and thank you for taking care of me, I am indebted to your knife throwing talent." She said.  
  
"Thank Randuerin. He taught me. I must be going." said Legolas trying to hide a smile to Randuerin and Ariana. "I only came by to check on the maiden and pick up some more arrows." With that he ran quickly through the woods going southwards. "I didn't teach him." Randuerin said.  
  
-- one hour later  
  
"No, you can't stop me," Ariana said firmly as Randuerin tried in vain to hold her down. "I have to help them fight."  
  
"No, you can't in this state." Pushing her down, he tried to hold her. "Faidon, come over here and help me hold her down. I am not letting her mess up my bandages." The guard came over and assisted, but in vain.  
  
"I have an idea. They do this with warriors that won't lie still when they have a fever," Randuerin said. He held a whispered conversation with the guard then left and returned with some long strips of cloth. She was starting to kick and punch Faidon, who held on grimly.  
  
"Right, get those things on her quick before my good looks are ruined for the next three days." Faidon commented to Randuerin with a smile. Swiftly, they tied the cloths around her wrists and ankles and then secured them to several branches. "There, she'll be comfortable and won't be able to get away." Randuerin said. Secretly he knew that Ariana was faking and would soon get out, but he couldn't just let her walk off with his sanction. 


	5. almost dead

OK, folks! I am going to say... KILL everybody. No I am not going to, don't get scared. I just wanna say big big thx to lady luthien. (my sister) she is the critic, cereter (correct maybe) but not the brains behind the story(she didn't chech this). Don't worry, lego wont go without a fight.(evil laughter as sky darkens and I turn black with robe and hood) I don't really like people kissing each others feet when they are in love, so if that's what you like then don't read. ENJOY! -  
  
_ Legolas was in a bad position: his troops were tired from their ordeal, and there were more orcs than he had originally counted. "Al troops to the trees! All troops to the trees! Gimli, help move them out," Legolas began yelling. "Laduer, come on." An arrow nicked Legolas's side, but he kept on climbing and ushering elves to the trees. No one noticed the blood seeping from his side. O no, he thought. I will have to bandage it. In a minute he was holding his bow and shooting orcs that were appearing once again. "Gimli, how is your tree going?" he shouted casually.  
  
"Pretty fair," he answered. "Axe work now! Yes!" he was swinging his small axe down on the heads of the orcs that were now climbing the trees. Close to sixty were on the ground dead, and two elves had fallen to the orc- arrows.  
  
"I only have 10 elves, and as good as they are, the orcs have greater numbers", Legolas thought. "Forest trolls will make a difference too. Phew, my side is hurting. Don't want anyone too see though. They would think I am weak".  
  
"No they wouldn't, you proud idiot. They would be concerned, not mocking". His own voice came back at him. "Well, I don't want that either. No time for it. I don't care if I am the Kings son. I have a duty." Clearing his mind resolutely, he heard Lauder calling.  
  
"Are you alright, milord? You look to be in pain."  
  
"I am fine. Really, I am fine." He said, not feeling completely confident.  
  
Turning, he picked off an orc with his bow, and Lauder smiled.  
  
"I guess you are all right."  
  
"I am going to distract the trolls, you stay here." Legolas said trying desperately not to wince.  
  
"Not without me you aren't, laddie." Gimli said.  
  
"Fine, you can come, but nobody else." Legolas relented, wishing he could make an excuse. "You will be in charge, Lauder."  
  
With that, the two friends shot arrows at the trolls and took off through the woods, making sure to lead them away from Lauder's elves and Randuerin. Legolas turned around and ran up a tree as a troll caught up to him. It roared, sniffing stupidly. Legolas jumped on its broad shoulders, and fired an arrow at its head. It was the only troll without a helmet, so it groaned, then fell over. Legolas grabbed both of his daggers and slashed the forest-trolls throat to finish it off. Gimli had the other four run hopelessly around him, occasionally swinging their maces when Gimli swung at them with his axe. He struck one a hard in the leg and it screamed and lunged at him. The trolls arm slammed Gimli down. One of the spikes of the troll-mace slashed Gimli across the back but he just yelled and then swung his axe down hard at the beast's neck.  
  
"Three more to go, Legolas!" he shouted happily. Legolas, however, was far from happy. The largest, fastest troll was on his heels, and he had run out of arrows. Drawing his Rohan sword, he ducked behind a tree. He thrust the sword at the troll's leg, but it was no elvish weapon and glanced off. The troll grabbed him and Legolas threw the sword at its face and it gave a tremendous roar, releasing him, and grabbed his face where the cunning elf had hit. The elf in question immediately fell on to the floor, his ribs aching. As Legolas was turning, he ran straight into someone.  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Lauder was on the ground, shot from his perch in the tree. An arrow had hit him in the shoulder. As he lay gasping, an orc ran up to stab him. Lauder managed to kneel, grabbing his elvish saber. He slashed the orcs throat, but the orcs blade landed straight in his injured shoulder. He gasped again, and a far bigger orc ran up and went to take his head, but Lauder simply ducked, and let the blade whistle overhead. The saber went straight into the orcs heart this time, and an orc with a bow tried to shoot him. This time the elf used a tree, rolling behind it. The orc dashed forward with a long dagger, but not before Lauder had his deadly sword out. This time he received a slash on the face, just narrow of his eye. The orc lost its life, a much higher price. Their leader, Ugarku, walked out from behind a tree. Growling, he grabbed a spear. He charged up to the elf, but Lauder struck the spears haft, slicing it in half. With a hateful roar, Ugarku drew his other weapon, which was a two-handed battle sword. Lauder's saber countered the enormous blades blows, but he was on his knees and couldn't stop the sword from glancing into his side. His hand clamped to the wound, he rose and went berserk as he saw his fiancé, Lahlina fall to the butt of an orcs long spear. She tried to get up, but the orcs weapon was going to slam into her chest. Laduer ran, ignoring his painful wounds. Not thinking of Ugarku chasing him, he sliced the orc in half that was menacing the elf- maid. The sword of Ugarku struck Lauder, slicing deep down his back and making him fall. He lay struggling for breath, almost mortally wounded. Ugarku smiled cruelly, and raised his sword to stab the horribly wounded elf. The she-elf's dagger went deep into the orcs leg, and he roared savagely. Realizing he was alone without his troops, he bared his crooked teeth, and ran off to join them.  
  
"Thank you, Lahlina." Lauder said, trying to smile at his fiancé. He could say no more.  
  
"No, hannon le (thank you) Lauder, that orc would have killed me." The pretty elf-maid said gently. Turning Lauder over, she took a strip of cloth and a bottle of medicine out, laying it out on the floor. Lauder was in to much pain to argue, so he just let Lahlina take his tunic off so she could reach his wounds. He gasped as the soft fabric came off, and tears ran down the gentle she-elf's face. The brave elf tried to wipe them off her face, but his arm sent waves of pain through his body. There was a good reason for tears, though. Both of his shoulders had long gashes in them, and blood was seeping out of a long, half-inch-deep slash down the left of his back. Blood also ran freely from the cuts above and below his eye. His normally tan face was pale with pain. Grimly she reached to take the arrow in his shoulder out. It came out more easily than she expected. It was not the usual orc-bolt with wicked barbs, but a simple small round piece of sharpened metal. They were probably too stupid to make good arrows themselves. She threw it away angrily.  
  
"Stop worrying, I will be fine," he said not entirely confident. "I have you to take care of me. As long as those orcs don't show up, we'll be fine."  
  
The remaining elves jumped down and hauled them up to a temporary platform- like area built in a tree.  
  
"You take care of him, my lady. Valinor knows he needs care." A tall elf with darker hair said. With that they spread out once more, leaving the two.  
  
_  
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Wahooooooo! Another ch! short, I know. But hey, I don't have very much time. Who could blame me? (o my lots of people, but what the heck? I have a life.). Im off to go build paintball forts, hopefully play paintball, and enjoy the beautiful weather! 


End file.
